Yes they can get it back. At work we do data recovery and we can tell pretty darn quick if a drive was in software or hardware RAID and we then can try non destructive data recovery tools to get it back using hardware raid software emulation or other means.

The FBI has even better methods. If the FBI comes snooping my way I'd blow up the drives or something. Formatting does nothing.

Yes they can get it back. At work we do data recovery and we can tell pretty darn quick if a drive was in software or hardware RAID and we then can try non destructive data recovery tools to get it back using hardware raid software emulation or other means.

The FBI has even better methods. If the FBI comes snooping my way I'd blow up the drives or something. Formatting does nothing.

yeah always drill, i never sell hdd's if i sell a rig, i'll write zero's to a drive format it over and over, but in the end me and a carbide bit do the trick, it's how we did it in the navy, and it works really really well.

I dont have the drives, they were 2 80gigs I sold to a friend. He may have made a living selling/bootlegging copyrighted material. One of his confiscated rigs had said drives in it. I dont think they go back to me, hes probably in enough trouble as it is...

It's possible that someone could find files on the hard drive that point to your computer. Many programs record information about the computer on which they were created.

That being said, I would not worry too much. The FBI does not get involved with copyright infringement. What it looks like, is they are going after him because he is copying and selling the material, most likely on an interstate level.

The FBI rarely go after "small fish". If they are after this guy he is most likely involved in something much bigger that just a garage operation (think country or global network of illegal activity).

It's possible that someone could find files on the hard drive that point to your computer. Many programs record information about the computer on which they were created.

That being said, I would not worry too much. The FBI does not get involved with copyright infringement. What it looks like, is they are going after him because he is copying and selling the material, most likely on an interstate level.

The FBI rarely go after "small fish". If they are after this guy he is most likely involved in something much bigger that just a garage operation (think country or global network of illegal activity).

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He generated enough revenue to buy a boat, not sure how much that is or what he did with it all, but im staying away from this one.

I dont even have the same power supply as that rig. I could see them finding my old IP address, but I also have a different router than I had then.

That being said, I would not worry too much. The FBI does not get involved with copyright infringement. What it looks like, is they are going after him because he is copying and selling the material, most likely on an interstate level.

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Well, I can agree with you that the FBI shouldn't get involved with civil matters like copyright infringement, but in today's world, they sure as hell do (you can thank the massive RIAA/MPAA lobby for that).

And GSG -- if you're this person's "friend," it really doesn't matter what data, if any, the FBI can glean from those drives -- you're already involved. Even if they didn't know your name before they nabbed him, they sure as hell do now that he's talked -- oh yeah, he's told 'em everything, down to what he had for supper four months ago. Doesn't matter if you're involved in anything he was doing or not -- I'd assume the FBI makes sure and interviews anyone who even had contact with a suspect, just as part of protocol.

But, don't worry, just get a good lawyer -- because IANAL. Oh yeah, and if you've got anything legit you don't want the FBI to find (nude pics of your girl/boyfriend, subversive literature, nothing illegal), go get some TrueCrypt and start encrypting. (Don't worry, they can't legally make you give up your Truecrypt password, either.) Then buy some new drives and copy your protected stuff to them.

The FBI cannot investigate unless you are selling illegal material across interstate lines. They are the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a reason!

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Yeah, I'm sure they totally can't put a wiretap on your house without a warrant, either. :shadedshu

I'm quite certain they will investigate anything and everything they want to anytime they want to -- it's called "abusing National Security Letters." It's the reason why they're currently being investigated by the EFF.

man that would be scary if one of my buds got busted for doing a crime bad enough to get the feds in volved id put in deriks boot and nuke and gutman the F#$% out of my drives..and destroy all dvd back ups....

The only way I would surely get rid of the data on my drive would to have a thermite mixture on top, and when the feds open the door, to set it off and run away. Now it would burn through the HD... and the table... and the floor... but it would destroy the data is a very neat way.

The only way I would surely get rid of the data on my drive would to have a thermite mixture on top, and when the feds open the door, to set it off and run away. Now it would burn through the HD... and the table... and the floor... but it would destroy the data is a very neat way.

As someone earlier said, get Truecrypt and use that to hide anything REALLY don't want people to find.

But the FBI have much more important things to do than chase you for mp3s and a few movies. That said, I am 100% certain your name is already known to them because more than likely your friend will have told them where he got the drives.